Is karma a bitch?

Karma is a term that has already become a permanent feature in the dictionary of most people. This philosophy of life, which originated in the Far East, can make everyday life easier. What does this word mean and does it really exist? 

Karma - in literal translation it is "work" or "action". In Buddhism and Hinduism, it is a cause - understood in the sense of the law of cause and effect. Karmic law is a set of rules that guide karma. One of the most interesting karmic laws is the Responsibility Law. It says that a person's whole life is exclusively his or her own work, and the responsibility for the way it is shaped lies solely with him or her. This in a way obliges people to be good, because thanks to these deeds their lives will be happy, peaceful and full of joy.

According to the karmic philosophy every human being continually interacts with other people. Whether these are good or bad deeds depends on what a given person receives in return. Karma is very important, especially in the context of life in society and charity. Expecting benefits in return for doing good is not compatible with karma and will not bring anything positive in return. It is also important to believe deeply in the sense of charity. 

A person's karma is otherwise an account of the good and bad deeds he or she has done throughout his or her life. A person's karma can be positive or negative, which has a direct effect on him/her. That is why it is so important how we act in our everyday life. Every deed counts. AND... it is not only taught by the philosophy of karma.

Update

The current situation definitely affects me in a strange way - not only I have nothing to write about on the blog, but I'm also starting to feel more and more frequent nostalgia. After numerous posts describing things that I am interested in personally, I found that it is time to show what my head is really busy lately.

First of all, I started to think more and more about holidays. Probably because I am really tired of the amount of homework and exams. But I also feel an incredible need for freedom. Sure, I can get out! But I can't go as far away from it as I want. This year I was planning to visit my friends in the Netherlands and fly to Greece for two weeks, but all plans failed. I'm starting to dream of a good old holiday with my familie by the sea when we ate waffles for lunch and dinner and swam at sunset. We always came home tanned, smelling of salty sea water and covered with henna tattoos. What a time...

Then I have to admit, I've aged a few years during those few months. Like in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.  I started to cook a lot and bake, the smallest mess started to bother me and I clean up pedantically. I started to browse the plant shops and plan the jungle in my apartment. I still love Bridget Jones movies and once a month I watch one of the parts or read a book - that will never change.

I keep coming back to my childhood with thoughts - nostalgia haunts me. I see this period as the happiest and freest period of my life. I'm looking for ball shaped chewing gum in stores. They used to be sold for pieces, but now I can't go anywhere. Hubba bubbas aren't available either. I listen to once beloved bands and vocalists - Backstreet Boys or Avril Lavigne. I'm probably driving my roommate crazy with this, although she definitely sings the choir in I want it that way.

I try to get out of the house often - after all, I can see my friends not only on facetime. I hope this brings me back to normal.

Pearls and the superstitions

Pearls for a gift - superstitions say that such a gift will bring suffering to the recipient and cause conflict between the recipient and the person who gave it. Although it might seem that beautiful earrings for a partner as an anniversary gift from her beloved are a brilliant idea, superstitions dissuade from such an idea.

Polish folk beliefs also describe pearls quite negatively. Old Polish superstitions say that they are the tears of an angel, so a person wearing pearl jewellery will repeatedly sink in tears and it is the fault of the person who gave them to him. This means that a gift from a beloved person can be the cause of many worries and annoyances. 

Another genesis of such superstitions about pearls is how they arise. Pearls are formed in mussels and are a reaction to a foreign body found inside the shell. The point is that they are formed as a result of the pain that the mussels feel. Despite this, many people do not give up on this solution, putting the beauty and elegance of the pearls above superstition - after all, it is not known whether they are true.

In the world, pearls symbolize happiness and wealth. For example, in China, pearls accompany people in situations such as an important exam. It is believed that thanks to pearls the results will be positive, and the further future of a young person will be free of any difficulties and worries. This is because pearls can help in making a difficult decision.

The superstition of pearls also applies to marriage. Pearl jewellery seems to be a perfect addition to a wedding dress - after all, it is an elegant, perfectly looking stone, perfectly matching the white dress. However, pearls at the wedding are said to bring great failure and quarrels to the newlyweds. We often hear that the pearls that the bride will wear on the day of the wedding can be the cause of a later divorce of the spouses, or even child's illness.

However, let's remember that superstitions must be treated at least with a wink of the eye, so if you prefer to rely on natural resources, don't worry that a wave of misery will suddenly fall on you!

What to consider when choosing a job?

We are getting closer and closer to the end of our studies and finally there comes a moment when we all have to think about what we want to do with the rest of our lives. Of course, we're not going to sit idly by. We will soon join the search for opportunities on the labour market. However, first we have to think about what profession to choose and what to follow when choosing the ideal one for us.

In the present times, the situation on the labour market will be particularly difficult. However, you should not give up and consider all your options. I suggest you start by writing down a list where you will write down all your skills (hard and soft), strengths and weaknesses, describe your temperament and interests. The combination of these four criteria makes up the professional profile.

In fact, there are few clearly defined professions today. When children wonder what profession to choose, they will answer: "policeman", "fireman", "doctor", "hairdresser" and so on. Think about what your answer sounded like when you were a kid. Maybe you still want to follow that career path? It is never too late to start another study or additional course!

The next question you should answer is what subjects you have always liked at school? Foreign languages? Or maybe science subjects such as mathematics or physics? Subjects at school are for many people the first reliable system of assessing skills. You can see at a glance what subjects a student feels comfortable with and what subjects they prefer to run away from.  If you have managed to develop more of a skill, even if not related to your field of study, you can see how you can work with it.

Generally speaking, specialists are increasingly appreciated on the labour market today, including the niche ones. The most important thing is to focus on developing one's competencies and to move on to the next business level, gaining the status of a specialist.

Dreams during quarantine

Yesterday, I woke up scared, having a restless breath and it wasn't the first time that this has happened to me. I've been locked up for almost two months now & I've had terrible dreams many times. It hasn't happened to me since I was a child, because I implemented the technique of reproducing the positive moments from the whole day just before falling asleep. However, the frequency of nightmares worried me so much that I decided to investigate the subject.

That's how I came across an interview published in USA Today. Ian Wallace, the psychologist who specializes in dreams, has returned to the consequences of confinement. One of the most observed phenomena is the memory of dreams. Indeed, people who normally never remember their dreams in the morning have very clear memories of their dreams at the moment. For Ian Wallace, this can be explained by the new rhythm of daily life in confinement. This new routine provides the brain with time and space to record new information, which is normally evacuated automatically upon awakening.

Another fact observed by the psychologist and witnessed by many people (who confirmed it on social networks) is the intensity of dreams. This is completely normal, and it is due to the heightened emotions during the Coronavirus pandemic. Dreams express the concerns of reality. No wonder then that during the period of intense stress we are experiencing due to the Coronavirus epidemic, dreams are darker than usual. Nightmares are the fear of the unknown.

It seems there's nothing we can do about it right now. The only way to manage it is to look ahead with optimism.

Changes in nature - update

After just the first week of quarantine, nature has come to life. The water in the Venetian canals is so clean that fish and swans have returned to it. Dolphins have appeared in the port of Sardinia! Similar phenomena can also be observed in other parts of the world.

Even a coronavirus pandemic can have its good sides. The best proof is what is happening in Italy - Venice to be precise. Paradoxically, the city is now breathing wholeheartedly. The air has clearly improved, the water in Italy is also much cleaner. In the Venetian canals, where the water - so far brown-green - has become so clear that you can easily see the fish in it. Swans also returned to the Venetian canals, making the city even more beautiful.

Apparently, the people of Venice even noticed dolphins floating in the water! Is that true? They say it's fake news, but it's certain that marine mammals have arrived in the port of Calgiari, where they have not been seen before. 

All we had to do was change our lifestyles a little bit to make nature come alive. Because it's not just in Italy. All over the world, animals are beginning to appear in deserted cities, recovering their former habitats. This shows that you don't have to do much to restore balance in nature, reduce pollution and save our planet. It's a shame we didn't understand it until now...

London Fashion Week

The fashion industry is probably one of the most affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Most clothing stores are closed, sales (if possible) have moved to the Internet, and there are no industry events. And this also applies to fashion weeks, which will soon return to the fashionistas' calendar. The best example is the London Fashion Week, which this year will not take place in the current formula but... will move to the internet. That means that you will be able to take part in it too!

According to the British Fashion Council, the event is expecting major changes. The men's fashion shows planned for June have already been cancelled and it has now been announced that no shows will be held for 12 months. The collections, which were to be presented on the catwalk during this time, will be presented online. For this purpose, a special digital platform will be created, which is scheduled to premiere on 12 June 2020. This will enable the London Fashion Week to be attended not only by representatives of the industry but also by individuals. 

London Fashion Week will no longer be divided into men's and women's collections - the platform will be unisex. This is also a sign of the times - more and more designers have recently had combined shows, presenting both men's and women's profiles in their collections.

In times of uncertain future, one thing is certain - the fashion world is changing.